Finally! Snow in the city, spectacular and beautiful (and rare and very temporary). Non-meteorological topics this day include gift books for the budding political activist in your family; a new, almost-1,200-unit residential complex; another local alt-media source needing support; a woman who videoed her own racial hate crime; and the usual umpteen weekend things-2-do.

If Eastern Washington ever does become a separate state, as some Republican politicians want, it would help the national Republican Party but hurt the people living there. (But then again, what political trends in America these days wouldn’t do that?) And we also discuss the attempt to rehabilitate the image of Pepe the comics frog; still more Seattle Times layoffs; an ex-Seahawk’s gender talk and its discontents; and whether or not Snowmaggedon ’16 will finally occur.

Seventy-five years since Pearl Harbor, and not only are some dorks thinking of the Japanese American internment as a model for future endeavors, but also a serious totalitarian threat faces us not from without but from within. In relatively lighter topics, we’ve found one person who doesn’t like the new spiffy Wallingford transfer station; a local troll-avenger just might become the subject of a scripted TV series; a hotel project’s potential threat to the Chinatown-International District; and Seattle’s now home to America’s No. 5 airline.

Another day of no white stuff on the ground (probably) sees us discussing a GOP legislator’s attempt to negate public-school funding (and non-discrimination); an aborted scheme to put surveillance cams into a middle-school cafeteria; and Amazon’s latest “real world” retail concept.

Snow in Seattle is rarely forecast. Those forecasts, in turn, often don’t come true. What will happen this time? Further topics today include a victory (for now) at Standing Rock; a big “March Against Hate;” Airbnb working with the Urban League; another longtime local biz asking for your help; and Husky and Seahawk football blowout wins (albeit the latter with a price).

Howard Schultz, aka The Man Who Sold (Out) the Sonics, will step aside as Starbucks’ CEO. In further news, we peruse UW football’s next step toward a possible trip to Title-town; why remembering the Seattle of old is NOT a futile gesture; potentially huge Seattle school budget cuts; Seattle U’s student-body prez outs himself as “undocumented”; the obscure Seattle past behind a national icon; and scads of weekend events. And we just might have a little snow.

Seattle’s supposed to now be a “brain magnet,” which means the zombies will likely attack here first. And WSU’s breeding super bees (you know how that story usually ends in films). In less speculative news, we observe those pushing for human rights by pushing for “cities’ rights;” the “Hamilton electors” on a last-ditch crusade to prevent the new dark times; and, alas, another stupid shooting.

Even if there was the political will to “break up” Amazon, as one group wants, how would that apply to its bookselling operations, and would it do the book biz good or ill? We additionally ramble on about where all our construction dirt goes; an endangered butterfly living at Joint Base Lewis-McChord; memories of the local “sex industry” in the ’40s; and a tour of the Krusteaz pancake-mix factory!

Let’s face it: a lot of the GOP’s rural success is due to “branding.” They’re the party “for” rural whites; just like there are cigarettes “for” women. And with similar results among the end users. Further topics today: A hate crime right here in Seattle; why one white woman believes white people SHOULD march with Black Lives Matter; rebranding STEM education with eco-conservation (or vice versa); and the revenge of the WTO.

Don’t think of today as a dispute between racial justice and shopping. Think of it as a potential meeting of racial justice and holiday compassion. Also: One of Belltown’s longest-running gourmet eateries threatened; art and music against the new DC regime; and Olympia’s police chief doesn’t like “fracking sand” trains through his town either.

Some advice on how to talk politics with relatives (and why you should) tops today’s installment. We additionally view the premature demise of a streaming-music startup; more Nor’Westers at the Standing Rock protests; a massive redevelopment on the Peninsula; and Boeing conspiracy theories.

Did Seahawks star Doug Baldwin’s testimony bring the “winning edge” when a state task force voted to make police more liable in deadly-force cases? We’ll never know. But we do know about a City Council budget vote; the potential perils of a Canadian oil pipeline; and a quiet end to one of Seattle’s oldest restaurants.

This day’s subjects include the “Hands Across Green Lake” silent protest; the Asian-Canadian (female) producer behind “augmented reality porn”; a major “fake news site” right here in Seattle; the racial disparities in homelessness; and Sharon Jones RIP.

Black ballet: it’s a thing that’s existed for a long time, and there’s a museum exhibit about it open now. We also discuss the sexist-troll “Gamergate” as an omen for these scary times; a prof who’s “proven” a link between fracking and earthquakes (at least in some places); potential preservation for the Mama’s building; the usual scores of weekend event listings; and our fishing fleet gettin’ mighty old.